Plans Examiner Or Senior Plans Examiner

HIRING RANGE: DEPENDING ON QUALIFICATIONS $23.9657 - $32.3683 hourly

Full Salary Range for positions

Plans Examiner $23.9657 - $34.7522 hourly

Senior Plans Examiner $26.4222 - $38.3144 hourly

The City:

With over 100,000 residents, the City of Allen is a dynamic and welcoming community. The City of Allen's strong economy, diverse population, great educational institutions, and quality of life make it the ideal place to work, live, and play. The City of Allen has something to offer for everyone. The City's Mission is "To achieve excellence in managing the development of the community and providing city services so that conditions of living and public confidence are continually enhanced." Our employees serve the citizens of Allen with the following values:

• People First

• Giving priority to others

• Respect

• Treating others with courtesy and dignity

• Integrity

• Serving with honesty, trust, and hard work

• Deliver

• Following through on commitments while exceeding expectations

• Excel

• Creating an innovative and improving work environment

Under general supervision, The Plans Examiner and Senior Plans Examiner are responsible for reviewing residential and commercial construction plans to ensure compliance with relevant codes and regulations. These roles involve coordinating with various departments, architects, and engineers, issuing building permits, and providing comprehensive customer assistance. The Senior Plans Examiner additionally leads and trains lower-level Plans Examiners to manage workloads and provides advanced support by attending pre-construction meetings and acting as a liaison between inspections and plan review. Both positions are critical in maintaining building safety and regulatory compliance while offering educational outreach and departmental support. This position provides direction to other employees.

The following duties are NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification; they are only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all listed duties and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

• Review residential and/or commercial construction plans to ensure compliance with architectural, structural, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, and landscaping codes.

• Coordinate with architects, engineers, and appropriate departments for plan reviews, ensuring zoning and building regulations adherence.

• Issue building permits following thorough plan approvals.

• Provide training and supervision to lower-level Plans Examiners, managing and delegating workload within the general queue.

• Communicate with architects, engineers, contractors, and customers, addressing inquiries and resolving complaints related to building and zoning codes.

• Educate developers, architects, engineers, and citizens on building codes and ordinances through meetings and direct responses to inquiries.

• Maintain and update reference materials, manuals, and departmental files; attend pre-construction meetings and serve as a liaison between inspections and plan review.

• Assist with customer service by handling difficult phone calls, providing support during staff shortages, and responding to inspection or code-related inquiries.

This position description intends to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by the incumbent(s) in this position. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties in this description, and incumbent(s) may be required to perform position-related tasks other than those specifically listed in this description.

Education and Experience:

Plans Examiner:

• Associate's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or a related field and two (2) years of plan review or inspector experience or equivalent
• ICC Certified Residential Building Plans Examiner, or ability to obtain within one (1) year of employment.

Senior Plans Examiner:

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or a related field and three (3) years of plan review or inspector experience or equivalent. 
• ICC Commercial Building Plan Reviewer or Certified Senior Plans Examiner.

Other combinations of education and experience may be considered.

Knowledge of:

• City rules, regulations, policies, and procedures with particular attention to codes and ordinances.

• Project management methods and techniques.

• Allen Land Development Code and zoning restrictions, International Residential Code, International Plumbing Code, International Mechanical Code, National Electrical Code, and International Energy Conservation Code.

• Methods and techniques of building plan review.

• Modern office practices, procedures, and equipment.

Skill in:

• Establishing and maintaining working relationships with professional and support staff, vendors, the public, and City employees.

• Assessing and prioritizing multiple tasks, projects, and demands.

• Providing outstanding customer service and conflict resolution.

• Analyzing, interpreting, and checking complex plans and specifications for applicable code compliance.

• Analyze problems, identify alternate solutions, project the consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations that support goals.

• Operating a personal computer utilizing a variety of business software.

• Reading and understanding City, State, and Federal rules and regulations.

• Creating, preparing, writing, and proofing reports, documents, and correspondence.

• Working effectively in a high-pressure environment with changing priorities.

• Effectively communicating in both oral and written formats.

Special Requirements:

• Must possess a valid Texas Class C driver's license.

General Supervision:   Work is normally reviewed upon completion, with occasional spot checks while in process, to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and conformance to established standards; autonomy is granted at the service or program level; work is subject to general and departmental policies, procedures, and guidelines.

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as needed.